Automobile Solar Air-Conditioning Control System

ABSTRACT

An automobile solar air-conditioning control system includes a solar energy supply device, a control device, a power device and an automobile air-conditioning system. When the engine of the vehicle stops running, after the driver presses a button of the control device, the signals output by the control device and the power output by the solar energy supply device are used to actuate the power device to drive a mechanical compressor of the automobile air-conditioning system to operate. As a result, the automobile air-conditioning system generates and introduces cold air into the vehicle, thereby to maintain the temperature in the vehicle in a suitable range.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a solar air-conditioning control system, and in particular to an automobile air-conditioning system powered by solar energy.

2. Description of Prior Art

Since most parking lots are open-air, the temperature in the vehicle parked in the open-air parking lot will rise after the illumination of sunlight. When the driver returns into the vehicle, at this time, the temperature in the vehicle even rises to a high temperature of 50 to 80° C. Since the convection between the air in the vehicle and the outdoor air is inhibited due to the closed windows, the temperature in the vehicle rises gradually to such a high value. Therefore, at this time, the driver often opens all the windows, starts the engine, and turns on the automobile air-conditioning system, thereby to generate the convention between the air in the vehicle and the outdoor air to reduce the temperature in the vehicle. Although this way can gradually reduce the temperature in the vehicle, it still has to take a period of time to do this, causing the waste of gasoline and air pollution.

Therefore, after parking, many experienced drivers will slightly lower all windows to keep a gap between each window glass and a window frame before leaving the vehicle, thereby to generate the convention between the high-temperature air in the vehicle illuminated by the sunlight and the outdoor air. In this way, the temperature in the vehicle may not rise to such a high extent. However, if the parking period is long, since the convection rate generated by the gap between the high-temperature air and the outdoor air is slow, the temperature in the vehicle still rises to a high value. When the driver returns to the vehicle, he/she still needs to open the windows, starts the engine and turns on the air-conditioning system to reduce the temperature in the vehicle.

In order to solve the above problems, many patent applications have been proposed and granted, such as Taiwan Patent Publication Nos. M292498, M288254, M279523 and M262385. These issued patents utilize solar energy to drive a heat-dissipating fan or a fan in a heat dissipator, thereby to dissipate the heat generated by the illumination of the sunlight to the outside of the vehicle. Since the amount of the exhaust generated by the rotation of the fan is limited, it is impossible to dissipate the heat inside the vehicle to the outside to reduce the temperature in the vehicle in a short time.

Further, Taiwan Patent Publication No. M261388 additionally provides an air-conditioning system in the vehicle. The air-conditioning system is powered and driven by solar energy. When the engine of the vehicle stops running, this additional air-conditioning system can be activated to maintain the temperature in the vehicle in a suitable range. However, it is necessary for the driver to spend a lot of money to additionally provide an air-conditioning system. Further, since the space in the vehicle is so limited, additionally providing an air-conditioning system not only occupies much space, but also affects the driver to see the coming vehicles in the back from a rear-view mirror in the vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an automobile air-conditioning system, which can be powered by solar energy when the engine of the vehicle stops running, thereby to introduce cold air into the vehicle. With the above arrangement, even the vehicle is parked outdoors and illuminated by the sunlight, the temperature can be maintained in a suitable range.

The automobile solar air-conditioning control system of the present invention comprises a solar energy supply unit, a control device and a power device. The solar energy supply device includes a solar plate, a charging unit, a battery unit and an electricity conversion unit.

The control device is electrically connected to the solar energy supply device and includes a micro processing unit, a temperature-sensing unit, a display unit, an operating unit and a switch unit.

The power device includes a motor and a second electromagnetic clutch.

After the sunlight received by the solar plate is converted into electricity and then the converted electricity is input to the charging unit, the charging unit performs a charging operation to the battery unit to store the voltage in the battery unit. The voltage output by the battery unit is converted into an electric power for driving the power unit via the electricity conversion unit.

When pressing a button of the operating unit, the control device is activated to set the temperature. After the setting of the temperature and the calculation of the micro processing unit are finished, the result is displayed on the display unit. If the micro processing unit determines that the temperature in the vehicle exceeds the preset value of the temperature based on the sensed signal transmitted from the temperature-sensing unit, the micro processing unit outputs a signal to actuate the switch unit and the second electromagnetic clutch, so that the electricity output by the electricity conversion unit can drive the motor. When the motor is running, the second electromagnetic clutch drives a mechanical compressor of the automobile air-conditioning system to operate, thereby to generate and introduce cold air into the vehicle. If the micro processing unit determines that the temperature in the vehicle is lower than the preset value, the micro processing unit output a signal to make the switch unit and the second electromagnetic clutch inactive, thereby to stop the operation of the mechanical compressor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block view showing the circuit of the automobile solar air-conditioning control system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The technical contents and the detailed description of the present invention will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block view showing the circuit of the automobile solar air-conditioning control system of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the automobile solar air-conditioning control system of the present invention comprises a solar energy supply device 1, a control device 2 and a power device 3. When the engine of the vehicle stops running, the driver actuates a control device to control the solar energy supply device, thereby to actuate the automobile air-conditioning system by means of solar energy. In this way, cold air can be generated and introduced into the vehicle to maintain the temperature in the vehicle in a suitable range even the vehicle is illuminated by the sunlight for a long time.

The solar energy supply device 1 includes a solar plate 11, a charging unit 12, a battery unit 13 and an electricity conversion unit 14. The charging unit 12 is electrically connected to the solar plate 11 and the battery unit 13. The electricity conversion unit 14 is electrically connected to the battery unit 13. The solar plate 11 absorbs sunlight, converts it into electricity and then transmits the converted electricity to the charging unit 12, so that the charging unit 12 can charge the battery unit 13 to save a voltage therein. The battery unit 13 outputs the voltage and the voltage is converted into another voltage for driving the power device 3 via the electricity conversion unit 14, thereby to drive a mechanical compressor 4 of the automobile air-conditioning system to generate and introduce cold air into the vehicle. The solar plate 11 and the charging unit 12 shown in the figure are conventional, and thus the description thereof is omitted. The battery unit 13 is an accumulator and the electricity conversion unit 14 is a transformer.

The control device 2 is electrically connected to the solar energy supply device 1 and includes a micro processing unit 21, a temperature-sensing unit 22, a display unit 23, an operating unit 24 and a switch unit 25. The micro processing unit 21 is electrically connected to the battery unit 13 and serves as a control center of the whole control device 2. The voltage output by the battery unit 13 provides the necessary voltage for the micro processing unit 21, temperature-sensing unit 22, display unit 23 and operating unit 24.

The temperature-sensing device 22 is electrically connected to the micro processing unit 21 for sensing the temperature in the vehicle and continuously transmitting the sensed temperature-related signals to the micro processing unit 21 for calculation.

The display unit 23 is electrically connected to the micro processing unit 21 for displaying a temperature value in the vehicle and a preset temperature value. The display unit 23 shown in the figure is a liquid crystal displayer.

The operating unit 24 is constituted of a plurality of bottoms and electrically connected to the micro processing unit 21 for inputting operating signals, setting the temperature values and turning on/off the control device 2.

The switch unit 25 is electrically connected to the micro processing unit 21 and the electricity conversion unit 14. After the starting bottom (not shown) of the operating unit 24 is pressed, a starting signal is output to the micro processing unit 21 for calculation. After the calculation of the micro processing unit 21, a signal is output to actuate the switch unit 25, so that the electric power output by the electricity conversion unit 14 can pass through the switch unit 25 to drive the motor 31 to operate. Alternatively, after the stopping bottom (not shown) of the operating unit 24 is pressed, a stopping signal is output to the micro processing unit 21 for calculation. After the calculation of the micro processing unit 21, a signal is output to make the switch unit 25 inactive, so that the power output by the electricity conversion unit 14 cannot pass through the switch unit 25 and thus the motor 31 stops to operate. The switch unit 25 shown in the drawing is a relay.

The power device 3 includes a motor 31 and a second electromagnetic clutch 32. The motor 31 is electrically connected to the switch unit 25. After the switch unit 25 is actuated, the power output by the electricity conversion unit 14 can drive the motor 31 to operate.

The second electromagnetic clutch 32 is mechanically connected to the motor 31 and the mechanical compressor 4, and is electrically connected to the micro processing unit 21. When the micro processing unit 21 outputs a signal for actuating the switch unit 25, it also synchronously drives the second electromagnetic clutch 32 to operate. When the motor 31 is driven by the power output by the electricity conversion unit 14, the motor can also drive the mechanical compressor 4 of the automobile air-conditioning system to operate, whereby the automobile air-conditioning system generates and introduces cold air into the vehicle to maintain the temperature in the vehicle in a suitable range.

When the vehicle is running, the driver presses a starting switch (not shown) for the original automobile air-conditioning system to drive the first electromagnetic clutch 5 to operate. In this way, the engine 6 is caused to drive the mechanical compressor 4 of the automobile air-conditioning system to operate, whereby the automobile air-conditioning system generates and introduces cold air into the vehicle.

When the vehicle is parked in an outdoor parking lot (with the engine 6 shut off), before leaving the vehicle, the driver can press the starting button for the operating unit 24. The signal generated by the button will be transmitted to the micro processing unit 21 for calculation. After the calculation of the micro processing unit 21, a signal is transmitted to synchronously actuate the switch unit 25 and the second electromagnetic clutch 32 to operate. The electric power output by the electricity conversion unit 14 directly drives the motor 31 to run and then drives the mechanical compressor 4 to operate. In this way, the automobile air-conditioning system generates and introduces cold air into the vehicle. At the same time, the driver can set a temperature value in the vehicle with the button of the operating unit 24. After the setting of the temperature value and the calculation of the micro processing unit 21, the result is displayed on the display unit 23.

During the operation of the mechanical compressor 4 actuated by the solar energy supply device 1, the temperature-sensing unit 22 senses the temperature in the vehicle at all times, and transmits the sensed signal to the micro processing unit 21 for calculation. If the calculation of the micro processing unit 23 determines that the temperature in the vehicle has arrived the preset value, the micro processing unit 21 outputs a signal to make the switch unit 25 and the second electromagnetic clutch 32 inactive. As a result, the mechanical compressor 4 stops running and the automobile air-conditioning system is under an air-blowing state. If the calculation of the micro processing unit 21 determines that the temperature in the vehicle exceeds the preset value, the micro processing unit 21 outputs a signal to synchronously actuate the switch unit 25 and the second electromagnetic clutch 32. The electric power output by the electricity conversion unit 14 directly drives the motor 31 to run and thus drives the mechanical compressor 4 to operate. As a result, the automobile air-conditioning system generates and introduces cold air into the vehicle to maintain the temperature in the vehicle in a suitable range even the vehicle is illuminated by the sunlight.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiment, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various equivalent variations and modifications can still be occurred to those skilled in this art in view of the teachings of the present invention. Thus, all such variations and equivalent modifications are also embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 

1. An automobile solar air-conditioning control system for an engine-powered vehicle, the vehicle having an engine-driven air-conditioning system, the air-conditioning system having a mechanical compressor and connected to the engine via a first electromagnetic clutch, the control system comprising: a solar energy supply device for converting solar energy into electricity and outputting the converted electricity; a control device electrically connected to the solar energy supply device and including: a micro processing unit electrically connected to the solar energy supply device and serving as a control center of the whole control device; a temperature-sensing unit electrically connected to the micro processing unit for sensing the temperature in the vehicle; an operating device electrically connected to the micro processing unit for setting a desired temperature value and starting/stopping the control device; a switch unit electrically connected to the micro processing unit and the solar energy supply device and driven by the output signal of the micro processing unit to control the active or inactive state of a power supply; a power device including: a motor electrically connected to the switch unit and driven by the power output by the electricity conversion unit after the switch unit is actuated; a second electromagnetic clutch electrically connected to the micro processing unit and mechanically connected to the motor and the mechanical compressor; wherein after a button of the operating unit is pressed, if the temperature value sensed by the temperature-sensing unit is higher than a preset value, the micro processing unit outputs a signal to synchronously actuate the switch unit and the second electromagnetic clutch, and thus the motor drives the mechanical compressor to operate; if the temperature value sensed by the temperature-sensing unit is lower than a preset value, the micro processing unit does not output a signal and thus makes the switch unit and the second electromagnetic clutch inactive.
 2. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according to claim 1, wherein the solar energy supply device includes: a solar plate for converting sunlight into electricity and outputting the converted electricity; a charging unit electrically connected to the solar plate; a battery unit electrically connected to the charging unit for saving the voltage output by the charging unit; and an electricity conversion unit electrically connected to the switch unit for converting the voltage output by the battery unit into a voltage output to drive the motor.
 3. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according to claim 2, wherein the battery unit is an accumulator.
 4. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according to claim 2, wherein the electricity conversion unit is a transformer.
 5. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according to claim 1, wherein the operating unit is constituted of a plurality of buttons.
 6. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according to claim 1, wherein the switch unit is a relay.
 7. The automobile solar air-conditioning control system according to claim 1, wherein the control device further includes a display unit electrically connected to the micro processing unit for displaying the temperature in the vehicle and setting a desired temperature value. 